Angel Cabrera hit from a sand trap on the ninth green during Friday’s second round.

associated press
May 03, 2014

Two exquisite short-game shots late in the second round carried Angel Cabrera to a 3-under-par 69 on Friday and a share of the lead with Martin Flores at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C.

It was the first time Cabrera had at least a share of the 36-hole lead on the PGA Tour since the 2007 US Open at Oakmont. Cabrera, 44, has only two wins on the PGA Tour — the 2007 Open and the 2009 Masters.

Flores couldn’t ask for a better start, and his finish wasn’t too bad, either. Flores began his second round birdie-eagle when he holed out with a wedge from 105 yards in the 11th fairway. He added a pair of birdies later for a 68.

The day’s biggest turnaround belonged to Brendon de Jonge, who grew up in Zimbabwe and now lives in Charlotte. He opened with an 80, and followed that by tying the Quail Hollow course record with a 62.

LPGA — Meena Lee of South Korea and Caroline Masson of Germany were tied at 8-under 135 at the North Texas Shootout in Irving.

Natalie Gulbis, who has been dealing with an achy left wrist for much of the season, was tied with Stacy Lewis one stroke back.

Gulbis shot 65, her first sub-70 round this year. She is contending for her first LPGA Tour victory in seven years. In the last five LPGA events, Gulbis has a 67th-place finish while missing three cuts and withdrawing from the Hawaii tournament two weeks ago.

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Top-ranked Inbee Park, the defending champ in North Texas, was 3 under after a 68.

Michelle Wie was 2 under after rounds of 67 and 73. She won the Hawaii tournament.

Champions — Bernhard Langer birdied the final six holes for a share of the lead with Bart Bryant after the first round of the Insperity Invitational in The Woodlands, Texas. Langer, who matched Bryant at 6-under 66, has 20 straight under-par rounds.

Defending champion Esteban Toledo was a stroke back. Last year, he became the first Mexican winner in Champions Tour history, beating Mike Goodes with a par on the third hole of a playoff.